Daily Archives: April 29, 2017

Some people in Eastern Province have described the Labour movement as dead.

Contributing to The Voice program on Breeze FM this morning, disappointed callers said the labour unions are not doing enough to assist employees who are often exploited by their employers.

The callers questioned why the unions do not make regular checks in various companies to see conditions under which most people work.

And other callers called for investigations into reports of corruption at the labour office.

They noted that some employers even boast to their workers that they would rather pay bribes to labour officers, than giving good salaries.

In response Chipata District ZCTU, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions, secretary, Ronald Mbuzi, called on employees to always report any exploitation to the union.

He observed that while the complaints from workers are genuine, most of the affected do not approach the unions to lodge in complaints.

Mr. Mbuzi explained that it would be easier for labour unions to follow up matters of employee exploitation once they have reports.

And Provincial Labour Officer, Joseph Kaindama, dismissed allegations of corruption stating that whenever the labour office calls employers to their office, it is meant to get their side of the story on a particular labour dispute and not to get bribed.

Mr. Kaindama advised people, who are employed on casual basis in big companies to report to his office.

He explained that his office will not tolerate a situation where big companies employ people on casual basis.

Meanwhile Zambia Federation for the Blind provincial chairperson, Samson Njobvu expressed concern that most often, labour concerns from the disabled are not taken seriously.

He explained that concerns from the disabled, need to be treated the same way with those of the able bodied

Government has been called up to assist small scale farmers who supplied their maize to ZCF, Zambia Cooperative Federation last year.

Civil Society for Poverty Reduction CSPR says that it is regrettable and painful that the small scale farmers have not been paid their money one year after giving their maize to ZCF in good faith.

Advocacy and Communication Programme Coordinator, Maxson Nkhoma says CSPR is aware of the contractual dispute which led to litigation between ZCF and the Malawian government but this should not affect the farmers.

Mr. Nkhoma says that ZCF being a government agency just like FRA, the Food Reserve Agency, government has an obligation to come to the aid of ZCF and pay the farmers their money which has been long overdue.

He says that as the crop marketing has begun, CSPR wishes to appeal to the farmers to pick lessons from this incident and avoid trading their hard earned crops in a manner that will make them regret their action.

Police has dismissed an allegation by UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s wife, Mutinta that police officers who visited their house to arrest Mr. Hichilema had stolen money and other property.

In a statement to Breeze News, Police Spokesperson Esther Katonga says that the allegation lacks merit.

She says that on Friday, Mrs. Hichilema went to Woodlands Police in the company of the media with a view to lodge a complaint against some police officers alleging that they stole undisclosed amounts of money and property during the time when the officers went to apprehend Mr. Hichilema.

Ms. Katongo says that police officers told Mrs. Hichilema to wait as they were attending to another member of the public but she opted to leave and did not go back.

She notes that Mrs Hichilema has decided to report the alleged theft, 18 days from the day it is purported to have occurred which is clearly an afterthought intended to damage the image and reputation of the Zambia Police.

Ms Katongo says that when this allegation started trending in some quarters of the media, Police had made their own inquiries and it was established that the allegation lacked substance and was false on inquiry.

She says that the police will therefore, not entertain the complaint as it has already investigated it and found to be false and malicious.

He also says that the current cool and wet conditions being experienced in most parts of Zambia are attributed to a shallow layer of convergence between unstable and moist North-westerly winds from the Congo Basin and the moist and cool airflow from the South East.

He says that this was associated with the low pressure system over west coast of Southern Africa.

And Professor Kanyanga says that generally, the 2017 cool/cold season is expected to record lower temperature than the previous 2016 season.

He says that this follows a relatively dry El Nino influenced rain season.

Professor Kanyanga has advised the farmers to delay their harvest activities especially if they do not have immediate shelter.

Government says the country has been rated number one in the world in terms of deforestation and carbon emission.

Speaking during the launch of Bio-Carbon Partners Project BCP in Senior Chief Lwembe’s area in Nyimba, District Commissioner Peter Kunda says a land assessment by the government has revealed that Zambia is rated number one in deforestation and carbon emission adding that this was confirmed by the Department of Forestry.

Colonel Kaunda further says that deforestation has contributed to climate change and global warming world over.

He says 276 thousand hectares is being destroyed through deforestation every year in Zambia, by cutting timber, charcoal burning, farming and fire wood.

Colonel Kunda says people need to act now to protect the forest by stopping to cut trees anyhow adding that the trend is threatening the livelihood of the people.

The district commissioner says human beings, animals and other living creatures depend on the forest to survive.

Meanwhile Bio-Carbon Partners BCP has given a cheque worth 579 thousand kwacha conservation fee to the community of Lwembe Chiefdom in Nyimba District.

Speaking during the launch of the project, Bio-Carbon Partners Managing Director Hassan Sachedina said that the money is for the people of Lwembe, who have demonstrated their willingness to conserve the forest for the past six years, since 2011 when the project was introduced in the chiefdom.

Mr. Sachedina handed the cheque to Community Resource Based CRB committees and Village Agency Groups VAG in the area through Chief Lwembe, who is the patron of the committees.

He says the money is a forest conservation fee that will go towards different developmental projects initiated by the communities themselves adding that the company hopes the money will bring value to the people of Lwembe chiefdom.

Mr. Sachedina explained that for the past six years the people of Lwembe had impressed him because of how they preserve the forest, which forced him to source for money from USAID United States Agency for International Development.

He further revealed that the company is operating in two Chiefdoms in Nyimba District, Lwembe and Nyalugwe while other districts such as Rufunsa, Mambwe and Lundazi are benefiting from the project.